Procter & Gamble vs Unilever: A Case of Corporate Espionage

Another source, who was close to the story, expressed similar feelings, "It was like confessing to murder and hoping to get manslaughter instead of homicide. It just does not always work out that way."⁶

Referred to as the darker side of competitive intelligence (CI), instances of corporate espionage have been often reported in the global corporate world. However, the P&G and Unilever issue was arguably one of the most high-profile incidents of corporate espionage ever reported. While P&G and Unilever were busy negotiating their settlement terms, the debate over 'CI vs. corporate espionage' heated up like never before.

Explaining the rationale behind CI practices, Bill Waite, Managing Director and Senior Counsel, Risk Advisory Group, a leading CI consultancy in Europe, said, "The fundamental is that there are huge amounts at stake when you make business decisions these days. The more you know, not only about your own strengths but about your competitors', the more likely it is that you will reach a positive business transaction rather than a negative one."⁷ Analysts felt that companies needed to be aware of their competitor strategies and efforts to effectively counter their strategies and sustain themselves in the market. Such companies believed that "if you are not watching your competition, you are busy creating it"⁸...